The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-12-15
ABOUT TOBACCO.

One of the speakers at the Tobacco
Fair lately held at Danville, Va, was
Capt. X. B. Davis, of Catawba county,
n. {. Capt. Davis is practical and
successful tobacco planter, and en-
mlnently qualified to speak on the
subject. The GOLD LEAF has frequent
ly published articles from his pen, and
it takes pleasure in copying the fol-
lowing utterances of his at Danville.
Taking as his subject. Chow shall TO-
bacco planters dominate the tobacco
markets and become masters and not
slaves of the stuation?' he said the
problem is one that farmers, and farm
ers only, can solve. VThe dis
asters OF the past three years have
borne down the people, and tobacco
has been dragged in the gutter. Let
the responsibility for such a condition
OF things be placed where it belongs.
The farmers have been perhaps the
greatest, certainly the most numerous,
sufferers. The farmers deluded them
selves for long time by supposing
that all classes of tobacco men were
consplrlng against them. They thought
dealers were making money by the
depression of tobacco. On the other
hand dealers had deluded themselves
by saying that the depression in tobac
CO was due to the mean quality of the
production. He would not include
the manufacturers, because none of
their customers have complained of
the mean crop. But the decisions are
past. The farmer knows that the
loses half his commits
sion when he gets only half price for
tobacco, and the warehousemen know
the cry about mean crops is the merest
CANNON. Tobacco is not low because
It Is mean, but mean because it is low.
tobacco IS said to be a money crop,
out IS such in one sense only, and that
S because it costs money to make.
t now takes two crops to make one,
md it takes a good crop to make a
'ood crop. The cry against mean to-
'acco began with the depression of |
he market. If the farmers haven't j..
,ot the money, they can't make good <
obacco. {
In 1880, the crop was $4,000 r
ogsheads, manufactured 100000 Y
ogsheads, exported $4,000 hogs Fl
eads, surplus 10000; 1881 crop, Il
$4,000, manufactured 10000, ex . .
orted $4,000, deficit 10, 900; 1882 !,
rop $4,000, surplus 10000; 1882 u
fop $4,000, deficit 5000; 1884 p
'op SAL 500, surplus $4,000 1885,. p
$4,000 surplus 10000. Leaving a ~ ~
'tal surplus of 10000 hogsheads un- 9.
'nsumed. A similar condition of ii
lngs existed, he said, in 1sso-6o vi
I'd it took four years of war to reduce pl
e surplus. The over production is q.
mewhat diminished by the short crop u,
1887, but on the other hand. the re
Oacco tax agitation was constantly ar
ding to the depression. The farm nc
stand between two systems of tax ,H0
on, the tariff tax and the excise tax ~.
lie tobacco tax must go; I do not is
ow how long 1t will be before We hi.
i sing "Devil away with the excise to
IN" MI
-, fal
Capt. DAVIS begged the farmers. as NJ,
word of parting counsel, to reduce Gu
'lr crops and stop making common wa
'acco' When the farmers have re- Snl
ced the supply below the demand. lug
N will their deliverance come. m:
The above is pregnant with practi- to
suggestions which tobacco growers SAT-
nld do we'll to ponder over. CT,
vii
Fur ed;.. cor